procreate

/ˌpɹəʊkɹiˈeɪt/

//ˌpɹəʊkɹiˈeɪt// verb

"procreate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“procreate” is an uncommon English word, ranked #50,740 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#50,740
frequency rank, English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To beget or conceive (offsprings).

Key facts for procreate
PropertyValue
Headwordprocreate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌpɹəʊkɹiˈeɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#50,740
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “procreate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). procreate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for procreate is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌpɹəʊkɹiˈeɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #50,740 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for procreate in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: The adjective is first attested in the first part of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English, the verb in 1525; inherited from Middle English procreat(e) (“(construed as past participle) begotten, procreated”), borrowed from Latin prōcreātus, perfect passive pa… The correct English form is procreate, spelled P-R-O-C-R-E-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To beget or conceive (offsprings).
  2. 2
    To originate, create or produce.
  3. 3
    To reproduce.

Etymology

The adjective is first attested in the first part of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English, the verb in 1525; inherited from Middle English procreat(e) (“(construed as past participle) begotten, procreated”), borrowed from Latin prōcreātus, perfect passive participle of prōcreō (“to beget”), see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3); by surface analysis, pro- + create. Participial usage of the adjective up until Early Modern English.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "procreate"?
"procreate" is spelled P-R-O-C-R-E-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌpɹəʊkɹiˈeɪt/.
What does "procreate" mean?
As a verb, "procreate" means: To beget or conceive (offsprings).
How do you pronounce "procreate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "procreate" is /ˌpɹəʊkɹiˈeɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "procreate"?
The adjective is first attested in the first part of the 15ᵗʰ century, in Middle English, the verb in 1525; inherited from Middle English procreat(e) (“(construed as past participle) begotten, procreated”), borrowed from Latin prōcreātus, perfect ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “procreate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-O-C-R-E-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌpɹəʊkɹiˈeɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list